Airport, north bus terminal brace for influx of passengers

Mactan-Cebu International Airport. (CDN FILE PHOTO)

AN influx of passengers at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and in bus terminal is expected starting today as people will rush home to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones.

Malou Mozo, GMR Megawide Cebu Airport communications junior manager, said yesterday that they were expecting an increase in the number of passengers from 10 to 20 percent for international flights and 10 to 12 percent increase in passengers for domestic flights from Christmas to New Year until the Sinulog celebration.

Mozo said that last year of the same period, 8.9 million passengers for international flights were recorded at the MCIA or a 19 percent increase from the previous year, while domestic travel recorded an increase of 8.5 percent.

Meanwhile at the MCIA, help desks manned by Aviation Security Unit and airport personnel will be set up to assist passengers.

Tight security will also be implemented by drug enforcement personnel and their K9 dogs to secure passengers.

The Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City also noticed an increase of passengers yesterday afternoon.

Zosimo Jumao-as, manager of CNBT, said “Daghan gyud ta og pasahero kay taas man sab ang bakasyon. Daghan ang mamauli pero bisan pa man, kontrolado nato ang pasahero (We have many passengers because of the long weekend. Many will be going home but nevertheless the crowd is manageable), he said.

Jumao-as also assured passengers that there are enough buses to transport them. He said the terminal can accommodate 110 buses including 47 mini buses plying northern Cebu.